If you have chosen to adopt a "Hill Country Chihuahua" please read the information on
this page! If you have questions, email me and I will either answer your questions or search out the answer and get
back with you!
Choosing the right puppy is an important decision. We hope that the videos we have included on our website will
be helpful in your choice of a puppy.
Registration Information on your Puppy!
Our dogs are AKC registered. But Hero is a conditional AKC registration so all of his puppies will
be registered CKC when they go home. Although, Hero's puppies will not be AKC registered, they are Champion Grand
Sired and Hero has multiple Champions in his pedigree, many being international.
All our puppies go home with registration papers. Our AKC puppies are limited
unless agreed upon prior to pick up. There is an additional fee for full AKC registration.
I love this stuff! My dogs love this stuff! I sprinkle it over their food and it balances
their good bacteria/bad bacteria necessary for health and a strong immune system. I buy it from REVIVAL ANIMAL HEALTH.
You can call and order it via phone or online! I highly recommend it for your puppy's first year of life, especially,
and thereafter as needed.
Our Past Puppies
Helpful Chihuahua Information
The Chihuahua breed is a breed full of rich history.
It is a story worth reading. The health of your new puppy is your responsibility. Educate yourself by asking questions,
doing online research, reading the many books available about the Chihuahua breed. You will find that the more you know,
the better equipped you are to "parent" your new family member and assure that he/she is healthy and enjoyed for years
to come. They are a smart, intelligent breed and they love to learn new tricks. If you have children, they can
try their hand at training their teen puppies or sign up for agility classes if there are some in your area!
Molera or Soft Spot: Your Chihuahua puppy/adult may have a molera which is a
"soft spot" on the top of his/her head. In the Chihuahua this soft spot, or fontanel, is called the Molera; it is also
found in human babies. Historically, this molera was accepted as a mark of purity in the breed, and it is still mentioned
in many Chihuahua standards all over the world. If your Chihuahua puppy has a domed head with a molera present it does
NOT mean your puppy will be predisposed to hydrocephalus. Please, search "Molera in the Chihuahua"
online and/or read one of the many books available about the Chihuahua breed, and educate yourself about the molera.
It is possible that the vet you choose for your new puppy is not familar with the Chihuahua breed. Therefore, educate
yourself about this topic so you will not be unnecessarily alarmed if your vet makes the open fontanel a scary issue.
In some Chihuahuas they close as the dog matures, however, in some Chihuahuas, the open molera
will never fully close.
Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar. It can happen when a puppy goes
too long between feedings, has gotten chilled, or is stressed. If your puppy develops this he/she will become listless
and their little heads may sway from side to side and if they walk, they will stagger. Corn syrup, honey or the product NutriCal
or NutriStat will restore your pup's sugar balance. Please, have at least one of these products on hand prior to bringing
your puppy home. Because low blood sugar is common in the toy breeds, we will give you a handout on Low Blood Sugar
Prevention and discuss it with you at the pick-up visit. Low Blood Sugar is something that can be prevented.
Parvo: Parvo is a virus that can live in the shade on the ground 6-12 months and on the ground
in the sun 4-6 months. Long after the feces has disappeared, the risk of infection is still on the ground. Parvo
can live on fabric and the soles of your shoes. Parvo can be fatal. Parvo can infect dogs of all ages,
but most cases are seen in puppies 6-20 weeks old. Your puppy from HCC will go home with at least one puppy shot in place.
However, your new puppy will need 3 (some vets say 4) puppy shots before they are completely protected against Parvo.
Please, follow your vets recommended shot schedule to protect your puppy from this often fatal infection. Do not
take your puppy to Petsmart or a dog park or to any unknown yard or ground till he/she has had all their puppy shots. If
friends come to your home to see and hold your new puppy, make sure they have not handled any unknown dogs prior to coming
to your home. If they have, they should not hold your puppy. After your puppy has all his/her shots, you can begin to
take them out more and introduce them to new people and places. Love your puppy, vaccinate them!
Please use caution if giving the Leptospirosis vaccine to your new puppy. I highly recommend
NOT giving it as it has a very high reaction rate in toy breeds. But do your own research, talk
to your vet and make an educated decision about this optional vaccine.
Your Chihuahua's Ears
Chihuahuas are little dogs with big ears! Lovely ears, that should stand at attention
and not droop. Long coat Chihuahuas sometimes have a softer ear tip, weighted down by the heaviness of the coat perhaps,
but for whatever reason, here is a helpful hint to help you, help those ears to stand like little soilders at attention!
Blaze's ears were delayed in coming up. We did some research and ask around from trusted
Chihuahua breeders and show people. All of them had a favorite method and we tried several suggestions. But either
Blaze, herself, did not like the methods or we felt they were ineffective on her ears. So, one day my husband suggested
we use blue painter's tape. Blaze loved it and left it alone. It was not so sticky that it hurt her when we changed
it out. It was lightweight so as to work and not weigh down the ear. It took about 3 wks on and off (mostly on)
and suddenly Blaze's ears were standing up 100% of the time and she was happy and we were happy. Hopefully, your new
long coat puppy will have ears that stand up on their own, but if your special puppy have ears that are delayed in standing
and you want to assist in the process, try this idea~! It sure worked for Blaze!
Blaze, ears soft and not appearing to come up on
their own....
Tape applied on Blaze's ears.
Look! It worked! Yeah!!!!
Here is Blaze as an adult. Her ears never drooped
again!
GROOMING PRODUCTS I RECOMMEND
This shampoo is worth buying. I use the pink for all puppies and the lavender for my white
dogs/puppies. It smells great and leaves their coat soft and silky! I can only find it at ROSS stores. Yes,
Ross has great buys on pet care!
This product is amazing for your long coat Chihuahuas!
I use it on my smooth coats, too, but just a lesser amount. Just a fast spray over the
coat of your Chihuahua and it will leave the coat gleaming and detangled and SOFT. I even use it on my daughter's hair!
Excellent product! I buy mine at the local feed store! It last a long time. Just remember to shake it up
before use.
I tell my customers when they adopt a puppy to allow the puppy 48 hours to process all the new sights
and sounds and taste of his/her new home.
Your water may taste different, you may have less or more noise than what he/she is use to, there may
be other animals that are established in the home and the puppy needs to learn his "pecking order" so to speak. He/she
needs to figure out who the alpha is and what are the new expectations on him/her.
We will send you home with a soft baby blanket that has the smell of your new puppy's mother and littermates
and our furniture and typically my blue jeans! Since I keep dogs in my lap most of the time, it is a comforting smell
to most puppies.
After a few days your new puppy should have had time to process his new home surroundings and feel much
more settled and comfortable.
During these first few days do not overhandle your new baby. Allow him/her some "time out"
after playing and eating. That way he/she can process all the newness going on around them.
Keep food and water available 24-7. If your puppy loses his appetite due to relocation stress tempt
them with Cesar's Puppy Food. I have only had one puppy in 6 years that was so missing her mama and our home that she
refused to eat that brand of moist dog food. Usually, this food will tempt any puppy!
Also, if your puppy cuts back on their drinking during this time, the Cesar's Puppy Food is moist and
contains some water content. This will help your puppy.
Sometimes puppies develop looser stools due to relocation stress. However, they should firm up within
48 hours. Do NOT change your puppy food quickly, but if you choose to use another puppy food other than what we are
using (Diamond Puppy Food), then do it very gradually. Changing too fast will end with loose stools and thus, a weakened
puppy.
I keep a radio on in my puppy nursery and in my home. If you are needing to leave your puppy for
some length of time, please turn on a radio or even a TV set. It will comfort your lonely little guy! It may not
be your voice but it is the human voice.
If you are adopting a young adult Chihuahua or an older
adult Chihuahua, usually relocation stress last longer than it does in a young puppy. I have had some adults I adopted
need 1 month to figure out their new surroundings and bond to us and our family. So, for 8 wk old puppies 48 hours should
suffice and for adult Chi's, give them 2-4 wks of time for processing!
Enjoy your new Chihuahua!
TREATS!
Toy breeds are known for having inferior teeth and bites. Please, be wise in giving treats to your
new puppy/new dog. If you would like to give treats choose the ones that actually clean your dog's teeth while they
chew.
I recommend several that I have found to work well on cleaning the teeth and also give your dog the enjoyment
of a special treat!
2. Raw meat bones from your meat market or the butcher. Do NOT choose pork because it splinters,
but get beef bones. The sinew left on the bone will work like dental floss to clean in between the dog's teeth while
they pull and the marrow inside the bone is rich in calcium to add nutrients to your dog's general health.
3. Hill's Perscription Diet TD (regular size) I use this as a treat, not a dog food.
I give one a day and they love it. I do not buy the smaller size, because the whole point is to make them chew these
and work at eating it. While they chew these, it chips off calcium deposits on their teeth and cleans plaque above the
gum line. I have seen this product work nicely to keep my dog's teeth clean!
Books Worth Reading!
Doing research online has become a great asset to those of us who enjoy educating ourselves about this special
breed of dog. However, for those of you who still purchase books and still actually read them I have compiled a list
of books that have benefited me in learning about the Chihuahua. Many of them can be found on Amazon.com and if you
purchase the used books your savings are significant. Happy reading!!!
Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by James M. Griffin, M. D. and Liisa Carlson, D.V.M.
Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats, The Ultimate Diet by Kymythy R. Schultze, C.C.N.,A.H.I.
The Chihuahua Handbook by D. Caroline Colie, Ph.D.
The Country Vet's Home Remedies for Dogs by William D. Fortney, D.V.M.
Chihuahuas, A Complete Pet Owner's Manual by D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D.
The Guide to Owning a Chihuahua by Robert Sisco
The Dog Repair Book by Ruth B. James, D.V.M.
Chihuahua by Barbara J. Andrews (excellent book)
Although this book mentioned below is difficult to locate, it is worth the hunt. I find myself sitting down
with a cup of coffee going through the pages, always learning something new. It is by far, one of my favorites.
Often out of print, I have been able to locate it on Amazon sometimes. Pet Library's Chihuahua Guide by Hilary Harmar (England)
"Blow Out"
in Long Coat Chihuahuas
Long coat lengths vary. Some long coat Chihuahuas have thick and even wavy coats. Some
have more of a Pom-look to their coats. Some have a top coat that is long enough to braid. Some have most of their length
around their necks, like a little lion. Some have amazing long hair around their tails. The length of coat varies in each
long coat Chi.
But all long coat Chihuahuas go through some degree of what we call, "BLOW OUT".
Blow out is completely normal phase your long coat Chihuahua will experience. The long
coat Chi is not the only breed that goes through blow out. The Poms also experience this "Puppy Uglies" stage.
Around 3-4 months your fluffy, long coat puppy will "Blow Out" his/her coat. What this
means is the puppy will begin shedding more than normal and their once fluffy coat will become sleeker and thinner.
They are loosing their puppy coat and until they are between 8-14 months you might be left
wondering if your new puppy is really a long coat Chihuahua after all! This stage cannot be avoided and is totally normal.
Your long coat Chi puppy is born with just one coat of fur. It is soft and very smooth. After the blow out stage has been
completed, your Chi will have his/her two adult coats of fur: the undercoat and the overcoat. During blow out, your Chihuahua
might appear lanky and ragged or even appear to be a smooth coat with only a few whispy patches of fur around his/her ears
or on the back of the hind legs.
So, do not be alarmed when this blow out phase occurs. By around 1 year, give or take a
few months, you will see your scraggly, whispy little Chi puppy, turn into a gloriously fluffy long coat Chihuahua!
Below are some pictures of one of our past Hill Country Chihuahua long coat males. The
last pictures of him were when he was about 9 months of age and as you can see, he is not yet finished fluffing up. He was
rehomed so we never knew what his adult coat looked like, but I would guess, it was amazing!
Boss as a puppy, very fluffy and adorable!
Blow out has just begun....
Blow out is complete and he amost appears to
be a smooth coat Chihuahua!
Finally, his adult coat is coming in and blow out
is on the way out!
Notice his nice long tail fur! He also had some
wave in his adult coat coming in!
Again, his coat was still thickening up and this
is not a picture of his full mature coat.
As mentioned above, Boss was placed in a new home before his adult coat finished coming in. What you are seeing
in these pictures, however, is a progression of how the Blow Out phase occurs. I wish I could have seen what his adult
coat looked like, because even at this young age of 9 months, he was gorgeous!
